Record numbers of women have been energized to get involved in politics since the 2016 presidential election. KQED decided to help tell those women’s stories and asked our audience to join us in this endeavor we’re calling “The Long Run.” We chose four women across the state to share their experiences with us, checking in with them over the course of their campaigns.
Before the polls close on Tuesday, these candidates reflect on the lessons they’ve learned on their first campaign. Here are some highlights from their journey, (and for more stories, check out the audio for each candidate):
Betty Valencia is running for Orange City Council
“As an immigrant, Latina, queer candidate, I expected some resistance. I was not, however, prepared for the extent of some of the comments … I was told I was a cancer. I was told I was poison. Those are hard things to to take when you really have a mission and a goal: to to be the best you can be.”
Aisha Wahab is running for Hayward City Council
“We’ve had our car broken into. We’ve had some incredibly insensitive comments made to us. You’re targeted for what other people perceive you to be … The reality is that you know who you are, you know why you went into these campaigns.”
